Embodiments herein generally relate to devices that feed sheets of media, such as envelopes, and more particularly to a top feed envelope supply apparatus that keeps the top envelope or folded sheet of large sheet stacks flat by using cross-members and/or rollers.
Stacks of flat sheets of media generally remain fairly level within paper trays of printing devices; however, if the sheets within the paper tray are folded (such as folded into partially completed books, handouts, or envelopes) one side of the sheets may be thicker than the other side, causing the stack to tilt. This tilt increases as the height of the stack increases. When such folded sheets are drawn from the bottom of the stack, the tilt may not cause many issues; however, when such are drawn from the top of the stack, the tilt can prevent the feed rollers from properly contacting the folded sheets.
For example, some conventional top feed printing devices cannot handle more than 10 to 15 envelopes at one time. This is a significant productivity issue for customers that are heavy envelope users. These customers would benefit from greater envelope feeder capacity.